baz
04-12-2003, 07:40 AM
Review by Chris Werb:
Here's my crack at reviewing my 1987 Anschutz 15xx .22WMR.
This is a rifle that I picked up secondhand, c/w Q/D swivels, a Cobra sling (yuk!), now swivel Harris BP and a Weaver 4-12 x 42(?) with Butler Creeks on the old PH roll offs.
This model uses the less expensive '64 action rather than the '54 action used on the 1700 series rifles. Its action is a conventional and unispiring looking 'tube' like many cheaper .22 rifles (and some centrefires). The barrel is standard weight and 22" long. This rifle is unmoderated. For logistical reasons (I live in the middle of nowhere) I have decided not to mod it until I swap out the barrel for a .17HMR (the bolt and magazine are the same as for .22WMR) or trade the gun in.
The rifle handles well. It's not particularly heavy, is well balanced and comes to the aim naturally. It is nice to shoot from the shoulder. The stock is monte carlo with what appears to be a little too much drop - however my eye aligns well with the low mounted scope. The walnut is dark and nicely figured - not like the cricket bat wood Anschutz use these days - however the oiled(?) finish (which may be the result of a previous owner's treatment) is deep but a little too shiny for my liking. The fore-end is also too slim in the continental style - hardly surprising for a German hunting rifle. The chequering is nicely implemented and there is enough of it.
As the rifle came it did not have a free floating barrel - the stock bore heavily against one side of the barrel. This was cured by placing a piece of plastic watch strap under the front of the action. The barrel shows some internal longitudinal scratching but nonetheless responded well to cleaning with a P/H rod, phosphor bronze brush and Butch's bore shine (highly recommended). The action and trigger were full of fine sand which I had to remove (with WD40! ).
Initially I was using CCI Maxi Mag plated 'solids' and attributed the rifles moderate accuracy on the previous owner's rough treatment of the barrel. The best I was getting was 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards off the bipod in (relatively) still air. The rifle also ricocheted and over penetrated quite a bit, although bullets recovered from the butts were flattened and fragmented.
A switch to Remington Premier at the recommendation of Mark (Foxshooter) tightened the groups up to around the 1" mark. The rifle and ammunition must be able to better this though as aiming error and wind-effects were a factor. I am not Pete Moore and have not been imbued with mystical powers of wind prediction by Andrew Evans or any other omniscient deity.
Zeroed at 100 yards, peak trajectory is 0.8" at 50 with no aim off necessary out to about 125 yards. The Premier uses V-MAX, polymer tipped 33 grain bullets which blow up on impact with almost anything - ragwort stems included. Broadside body hits on adult rabbits almost never result in an exit wound whilst baby rabbits are literally eviscerated. I have never had an audible ricochet with this ammunition. The down side is up here it is 30p a shot compared to about 22p for the CCI.
In use, the rifle is a handy length for use from a small vehicle. The bolt action is very loud in operation compared to the CZ, giving out an audible 'clack' no matter how gently it is operated. The 'fore and aft' safety is awkward to operate as my fingers tend to slip off the insubstantial button - again the CZ is much better.
The trigger appears to be single stage, breaks very cleanly and is OK. Anyone spoiled by years of shooting recent PCP air rifles would find it distinctly 'agricultural' though.
The magazine release catch is insufficiently long and awkward to operate. This wouldn't be such a problem if the magazine capacity exceeded four. Not a problem when sniping but annoying when you have to reload during a vehicular lamping run. I tend to chamber a round and then insert the magazine - something I wouldn't bother with if it held 7 like the Marlin or 9 as the Ruger does. IMHO they could do a lot worse than copy the CZ mag release, situated in front of the mag well. The magazines themselves appear to be made of insubstantial steel compared to their CZ equivalents. That's unlikely to cause a problem but it's annoying when you consider that they sell for £46 a throw!
The worst feature of the rifle, however is the naff plastic butt plate. This kept slipping off my leg when driving round with the rifle on my lap - I ended up making a 'boot' out of a black marigold glove that solved that problem. Why Anchutz chose not to fit a rubber butt pad escapes me.
All in all, I like the rifle, but it appears to have been designed for aesthetics rather than practicality. There are many features on this rifle that have been improved upon by Marlin and CZ in rifles that are less expensive. I would happily trade it in for either - but will probably opt for the former given our climate! The steel tubed Weaver scope is another matter altogether - they can have that scope when they prize it from my cold dead hands...
Here's my crack at reviewing my 1987 Anschutz 15xx .22WMR.
This is a rifle that I picked up secondhand, c/w Q/D swivels, a Cobra sling (yuk!), now swivel Harris BP and a Weaver 4-12 x 42(?) with Butler Creeks on the old PH roll offs.
This model uses the less expensive '64 action rather than the '54 action used on the 1700 series rifles. Its action is a conventional and unispiring looking 'tube' like many cheaper .22 rifles (and some centrefires). The barrel is standard weight and 22" long. This rifle is unmoderated. For logistical reasons (I live in the middle of nowhere) I have decided not to mod it until I swap out the barrel for a .17HMR (the bolt and magazine are the same as for .22WMR) or trade the gun in.
The rifle handles well. It's not particularly heavy, is well balanced and comes to the aim naturally. It is nice to shoot from the shoulder. The stock is monte carlo with what appears to be a little too much drop - however my eye aligns well with the low mounted scope. The walnut is dark and nicely figured - not like the cricket bat wood Anschutz use these days - however the oiled(?) finish (which may be the result of a previous owner's treatment) is deep but a little too shiny for my liking. The fore-end is also too slim in the continental style - hardly surprising for a German hunting rifle. The chequering is nicely implemented and there is enough of it.
As the rifle came it did not have a free floating barrel - the stock bore heavily against one side of the barrel. This was cured by placing a piece of plastic watch strap under the front of the action. The barrel shows some internal longitudinal scratching but nonetheless responded well to cleaning with a P/H rod, phosphor bronze brush and Butch's bore shine (highly recommended). The action and trigger were full of fine sand which I had to remove (with WD40! ).
Initially I was using CCI Maxi Mag plated 'solids' and attributed the rifles moderate accuracy on the previous owner's rough treatment of the barrel. The best I was getting was 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards off the bipod in (relatively) still air. The rifle also ricocheted and over penetrated quite a bit, although bullets recovered from the butts were flattened and fragmented.
A switch to Remington Premier at the recommendation of Mark (Foxshooter) tightened the groups up to around the 1" mark. The rifle and ammunition must be able to better this though as aiming error and wind-effects were a factor. I am not Pete Moore and have not been imbued with mystical powers of wind prediction by Andrew Evans or any other omniscient deity.
Zeroed at 100 yards, peak trajectory is 0.8" at 50 with no aim off necessary out to about 125 yards. The Premier uses V-MAX, polymer tipped 33 grain bullets which blow up on impact with almost anything - ragwort stems included. Broadside body hits on adult rabbits almost never result in an exit wound whilst baby rabbits are literally eviscerated. I have never had an audible ricochet with this ammunition. The down side is up here it is 30p a shot compared to about 22p for the CCI.
In use, the rifle is a handy length for use from a small vehicle. The bolt action is very loud in operation compared to the CZ, giving out an audible 'clack' no matter how gently it is operated. The 'fore and aft' safety is awkward to operate as my fingers tend to slip off the insubstantial button - again the CZ is much better.
The trigger appears to be single stage, breaks very cleanly and is OK. Anyone spoiled by years of shooting recent PCP air rifles would find it distinctly 'agricultural' though.
The magazine release catch is insufficiently long and awkward to operate. This wouldn't be such a problem if the magazine capacity exceeded four. Not a problem when sniping but annoying when you have to reload during a vehicular lamping run. I tend to chamber a round and then insert the magazine - something I wouldn't bother with if it held 7 like the Marlin or 9 as the Ruger does. IMHO they could do a lot worse than copy the CZ mag release, situated in front of the mag well. The magazines themselves appear to be made of insubstantial steel compared to their CZ equivalents. That's unlikely to cause a problem but it's annoying when you consider that they sell for £46 a throw!
The worst feature of the rifle, however is the naff plastic butt plate. This kept slipping off my leg when driving round with the rifle on my lap - I ended up making a 'boot' out of a black marigold glove that solved that problem. Why Anchutz chose not to fit a rubber butt pad escapes me.
All in all, I like the rifle, but it appears to have been designed for aesthetics rather than practicality. There are many features on this rifle that have been improved upon by Marlin and CZ in rifles that are less expensive. I would happily trade it in for either - but will probably opt for the former given our climate! The steel tubed Weaver scope is another matter altogether - they can have that scope when they prize it from my cold dead hands...